Time since brew indicator for beverage maker

ABSTRACT

Various embodiments are directed to a beverage maker. The beverage maker may comprise a brew system, at least one sensor, a display and a control circuit. The brew system may comprise a heater, a reservoir and a container for receiving a brewed beverage. The at least one sensor may be positioned to sense an end of a brew cycle. The control circuit may be configured to receive a signal from the at least one sensor indicative of the end of the brew cycle. Upon detecting the end of the brew cycle, the control circuit may be configured to initiate a timer and cause a current value of the timer to be shown on the display.

BACKGROUND

Beverage makers, including coffee makers, tea makers, cappuccino makers,etc, are commonly used in households and restaurants. In variousembodiments, a user can add a liquid, such as water, for example, to areservoir of the beverage maker, and add coffee grounds, tea, and/orcappuccino mix, for example, to another portion of the beverage maker.In such an embodiment, the beverage maker can be configured to use theliquid to brew the beverage (e.g., coffee, tea, cappuccino, etc.). Manybeverage makers include a warming plate which can be used to keep thebeverage warm after brewing. The quality of many beverages decays as thebeverages sit on the warming plate. Accordingly, there is a need forbeverage makers that indicate how long the beverage has been sitting onthe warming plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of thisdisclosure, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparentand the disclosure itself will be better understood by reference to thefollowing description of various embodiments of the disclosure taken inconjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a beverage maker comprising a liquiddirector in a deployed position in accordance with one non-limitingembodiment;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the beverage maker of FIG. 1,illustrating a liquid being poured onto the liquid director and beingchanneled into an opening of the beverage maker;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the beverage maker of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the liquid director of FIG. 1, inaccordance with one non-limiting embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the liquid director of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the liquid director of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the liquid director of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the liquid director of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1, illustrating how theliquid director can be engaged with a lid of the beverage maker inaccordance with one non-limiting embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of the opening of thebeverage maker of FIG. 1, with the liquid director removed;

FIG. 11 is a side view of the beverage maker of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a partial cross-sectional side view of one embodiment of theliquid director and the lid of FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of FIG. 1, illustrating the lid of thebeverage maker in a partially closed position and the liquid director ina partially deployed position in accordance with one non-limitingembodiment;

FIG. 14 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the beverage makerwith the lid in a closed position and the liquid director in anundeployed position in accordance with one non-limiting embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of another beverage maker comprising aliquid director in a deployed position in accordance with onenon-limiting embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of still another beverage maker comprisinga liquid director in a deployed position in accordance with onenon-limiting embodiment;

FIG. 17 illustrates a block diagram of a beverage maker in accordancewith one non-limiting embodiment;

FIG. 18 illustrates an example of a panel of a beverage maker comprisinga display;

FIGS. 19-21 illustrate process flows illustrating methods of operationof a beverage maker in accordance with non-limiting embodiments; and

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a filter dipstick without a filtertherein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain embodiments will now be described to provide an overallunderstanding of the principles of the structure, function, manufacture,and use of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein. One or moreexamples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanyingfigures. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that thedevices and methods specifically described herein and illustrated in theaccompanying figures are non-limiting example embodiments and that thescope of the various embodiments of the disclosure is defined solely bythe claims. The features illustrated or described in connection with oneexample embodiment may be combined with the features of otherembodiments. Such modifications and variations are intended to beincluded within the scope of the disclosure.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure generally relates to a liquiddirector configured to be used with a beverage maker, wherein the liquiddirector is configured to channel a liquid into a reservoir of thebeverage maker. In at least one embodiment, the beverage maker can beused for consumer and small business applications, for example. Invarious embodiments, referring to FIGS. 1-3 and 11, a beverage maker 10can comprise an outer shell 12, a heating surface 14, a liquid levelindicator 16, a control panel 18, and a liquid carafe 20. In at leastone embodiment, the heating surface 14 can be configured to heat, warm,and/or maintain the temperature of a brewed liquid, such as coffee, forexample, within the liquid carafe 20, when the liquid carafe 20 ispositioned on the heating surface 14. In various embodiments, the liquidlevel indicator 16 can be used to visually indicate to a user of thebeverage maker 10 the level of the liquid within a container 22 orreservoir of the beverage maker 10, such that the user can determineabout how much of a beverage will be made by the beverage maker 10. Inat least one embodiment, the liquid level indicator 16 can comprise atransparent and/or semi-transparent portion, such that the user can viewthe level of the liquid within the container 22. In various embodiments,the control panel 18 can comprise an on/off switch, a timer, a clock,and/or various brewing cycle switches, for example. Those of skill inthe art will recognize that the control panel 18 can comprise any othersuitable switches, buttons, and/or indicators. In various embodiments,the beverage maker 10 can also comprise a nozzle 19 configured to drip,channel, and/or flow the brewed beverage into the liquid carafe 20. Inat least one embodiment, the beverage maker 10 can comprise a coffeemaker, a tea maker, a cappuccino maker, and/or any other suitableapparatus configured to brew or make a beverage, for example. Those ofskill in the art will understand that the illustrated beverage maker 10is merely one example embodiment and is not meant to limit the scope ofthe present disclosure.

In various embodiments, still referring to FIG. 1-3 and 11, the beveragemaker 10 can comprise a cover 24 for covering a receiving portion 26configured to receive coffee grounds, tea, cappuccino mix, and/or anyother suitable substance for brewing a beverage. In at least oneembodiment, the cover 24 can be moved between an open position (notillustrated) and a closed position such that the user can place thecoffee grounds, tea, cappuccino mix, and/or any other suitablesubstance, used for brewing, or drip-brewing, the beverage therein. Insuch an embodiment, the cover 24 can be pivotably attached to a portionof the beverage maker 10. In various embodiments, the beverage maker 10can comprise a lid 28 configured to be positioned at least partiallyover an opening 30 in the outer shell 12. In at least one embodiment,the lid 28 can be movable between an open or a first position in whichthe opening 30 is at least partially uncovered by the lid 28 and aclosed or a second position in which the opening 30 is at leastpartially covered by the lid 28. In such an embodiment, the lid 28 canbe pivotably attached to a portion of the beverage maker 10. In variousembodiments, the lid 28 can comprise any other suitable configurationconfigured to at least partially cover the opening 30.

In various embodiments, referring to FIGS. 3 and 22, the beverage maker10 can comprise a filter dipstick 32 (FIG. 22) configured to comprise afilter 34 (not shown), such as a charcoal filter, for example, on an endthereof. In at least one embodiment, the filter dipstick 32 can comprisea filter cage 33 configured to receive the filter 34. In FIG. 22, thefilter cage 33 is shown in an opened state and without the filter 34received therein. In various embodiments, the filter 34 can bepositioned via the filter dipstick 32 within a receiving aperturedefined in the container 22. In such an embodiment, the beverage maker10 can be configured to withdraw the liquid from the container 22 viathe receiving aperture. In various embodiments, the filter 34 can beconfigured to filter impurities out of the liquid as the liquid is drawnthough the receiving aperture and used to brew a beverage. In variousembodiments, the filter dipstick 32 can easily be removed from andpositioned within the receiving aperture of the container 22 by a user.Likewise, in at least one embodiment, the user can easily open thefilter cage to replace the filter 34, after the filter's useful life hasexpired. In certain embodiments, the useful life of the filter 34 isspecified by the number of brew cycles for which the filter is able toeffectively filter impurities from the liquid. In one such embodiment,the amount of filter material (e.g., charcoal) contained within thefilter 34 may be selected to provide effective filtration for a numberof brew cycles dictated by the cleaning/maintenance requirements of thebeverage maker 10. For example, if the beverage maker 10 requirescleaning/maintenance every 60 brew cycles, the amount of filter materialmay be selected to provide effective filtration for at least 60 brewcycles. In this way, the filter may be replaced concurrently withcleaning/maintenance activities.

In various embodiments, referring to FIGS. 1-3, the beverage maker 10can comprise a liquid director 36 configured to channel and/or direct aliquid through the opening 30 and into the container 22. In at least oneembodiment, referring to FIG. 2, the liquid director 36 can beconfigured to inhibit, or at least minimize, liquid from splashing outof the opening 30 and/or being poured over the outer shell 12 of thebeverage maker 10 onto an area surrounding the beverage maker 10.Further, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the liquid director 36 can reduce thechance of liquid spillage even when the opening 30 in the beverage maker10 is quite small, owing the liquid director's configuration andposition at least partially over a portion of the opening 30 and/or atleast partially within the opening 30, for example. In variousembodiments, the liquid director 36 can comprise any suitable shape,such as substantially rectangular, substantially square, substantiallytriangular, substantially oval, or any other suitable polygonal shape.

In various embodiments, referring to FIGS. 4-8, the liquid director 36can comprise a surface 38 configured to receive a liquid poured from theliquid carafe 20, or other pitcher or device, for example, and channelthe liquid into and through the opening 30 and to the container 22. Invarious embodiments, the surface 38 can be flat, concave, and/orarcuate, for example. In other various embodiments, the surface 38 cancomprise a flat, a concave, and/or an arcuate portion. The surface 38can be concave toward the lid when the liquid director 36 is in thedeployed, fluid receiving position. In at least one embodiment, theliquid director 36 can comprise a first side 50, a top side 52, a secondside 54, and a bottom side 56. In such an embodiment, the liquid can bedirected into and through the opening 30 as the liquid is flowed towardand over the bottom side 56 of the liquid director 36.

Further to the above, still referring to FIGS. 4-8, the surface 38 cancomprise at least one projection 40 extending outwardly therefrom,wherein the at least one projection 40 can be configured to enhance thesurface's ability to channel and/or direct the liquid into and throughthe opening 30. In at least one embodiment, the at least one projection40 can extend at least partially and/or completely between the top side52 and the bottom side 56 of the liquid director 36, for example, suchthat the liquid can be directed or channeled toward the bottom side 56when poured onto the liquid director 36. In such an embodiment, the atleast one projection 40 can be perpendicular, or substantiallyperpendicular to the first side 50 and/or the second side 54, forexample. In various embodiments, the at least one projection 40 cancomprise any other suitable orientation on the liquid director 36 andcan comprise any suitable cross-sectional shape, such as square,rectangular, triangular, arcuate, and/or flat, for example. In othervarious embodiments, the at least one projection 40 can comprise aplurality of projections or ridges positioned about an area of thesurface 38 and at least partially extending between the top side 52 andthe bottom side 56 of the liquid director 36. In such an embodiment,liquid channels 42 can be defined between the plurality of projections40, wherein the liquid channels 42 can be configured to direct theliquid toward the bottom side 56 of the liquid director 36, through theopening 30, and into the container 22. In various embodiments, theliquid channels 42 can be recessed into the surface 38 to enhance theliquid directing ability of the liquid channels 42. In still othervarious embodiments, the at least one projection 40 can be eliminatedand a plurality of grooves, passages, and/or recesses can be defined inthe surface 38 of the liquid director 36. In various embodiments, thegrooves, passages, and/or recesses can be configured to direct theliquid toward the bottom side 56 of the liquid director 36, through theopening 30, and into the container 22, much like the at least oneprojection 40 described above. In various embodiments, any othersuitable members, grooves, passages, indents, and/or recesses configuredto channel the liquid toward the bottom side 56 of the liquid director36, through the opening 30, and into the container 22, can be used.

Further to the above, in various embodiments, a wall 44 can extend fromthe surface 38 and can at least partially surround a portion of thesurface 38. In other various embodiments, the wall 44 can extend fromthe first side 50, the top side 52, and/or the second side 54 of thesurface 38, for example. In at least one embodiment, the wall 44 canalso extend from a portion of the bottom side 56, for example. In stillother various embodiments, the wall 44 can be separated into one or moreportions, each portion being positioned on a respective side of thesurface 38, for example. In at least one embodiment, the wall 44 can aidthe surface 38, the at least one projection 40, the liquid channels 42,the grooves, the passages, and/or the recesses in directing the liquidtoward the bottom side 56 of the liquid director 36 and into the opening30 by at least partially inhibiting or minimizing the liquid fromrunning off of the first side 50, the second side 54, and/or the topside 52 of the liquid director 36.

In various embodiments, referring to FIGS. 4, 7 and 10, at least oneportion of the wall 44, such as the wall on the first side 50 and/or thesecond side 54, for example, can comprise an arcuate recess 48 definedtherein. In at least one embodiment, the arcuate recess 48 can beconfigured to be engaged with a guide (see e.g., 66, FIG. 10) positionedon and/or extending from a side wall of the container 22. In variousembodiments, the arcuate recess 48 can be slidably engaged with theguide to bias the liquid director 36 into a deployed, fluid receivingposition when the liquid director 36 is moved from an undeployedposition to the deployed position. In at least one embodiment, thearcuate recess 48 can be slidably engaged with the guide to bias theliquid director 36 into an undeployed, non-fluid receiving position whenthe liquid director 36 is moved from the deployed position into theundeployed position. In such an embodiment, the liquid director 36 canbe fully positioned within the beverage maker 10 when in the undeployedposition. In other various embodiments, the liquid director 36 can bemade without the arcuate recess 48 and any other suitable type ofbiasing member can be used to move the liquid director 36 between thedeployed and the undeployed positions. In other various embodiments, thebiasing member can be eliminated and the liquid director can be movedbetween the deployed and the undeployed positions manually.

In various embodiments, referring to FIGS. 1, 3, 4-9, and 11, the liquiddirector 36 can comprise at least one connection member 58 extendingfrom a portion thereof, such as the first side 50 or the second side 54,for example. In at least one embodiment, the at least one connectionmember 58 can be used to connect the liquid director 36 to the lid 28and/or a side wall of the opening 30 or the container 22. In variousembodiments, the at least one connection member 58 can comprise a firstconnection member 58 extending from the first side 50 and a secondconnection member 58′ extending from the second side 54. In at least oneembodiment, the first and second connection members 58 and 58′ canextend from the wall 44, for example.

Further to the above, referring to FIGS. 3-6, and 8, the liquid director36 can also comprise at least one fin 60 and at least one stop member 46both extending from the first side 50, the second side 54, the bottomside 56, the wall 44 and/or another portion of the liquid director 36.In at least one embodiment, the fin 60 can be configured to be engagedwith the guide (see e.g., 66, FIG. 10) on the side wall of the container22 and/or a side wall of the opening 30. In at least one embodiment, thestop member 46 can be configured to retain the liquid director 36 in thedeployed, fluid receiving position when engaged with the guide.

In various embodiments, referring to FIGS. 1 and 3-10, the at least oneconnection member 58 of the liquid director 36 can be attached to atleast one arm 62 extending from the lid 28, for example. In at least oneembodiment, referring to FIG. 9, the lid 28 can comprise two arms 62 and62′ extending therefrom, each arm comprising an aperture 64 and 64′,respectively, at an end most distal from the lid 28. In variousembodiments, the connection members 58 and 58′ can be engaged with,press-fit into, and/or snap-fit into the apertures 64 and 64′ in thearms 62 and 62′, for example, to attach the liquid director 36 to thelid 28. In other various embodiments, a portion of the liquid director36 can comprise an aperture (not illustrated) and the at least one armcan comprise the at least one connection member, for example, such thata connection of the liquid director 36 to the lid 28 can be made in asimilar fashion as discussed above. In further various embodiments, anyother suitable member(s) known to those skilled in the art can be usedto attach the liquid director 36 to the beverage maker 10.

In various embodiments, referring to FIGS. 9-10, a side wall 68 of thecontainer 22 can comprise a guide 66, as referenced above, extendingtherefrom. In at least one embodiment, the arcuate recess 48 in the wall44 can be slidably engaged with the guide 66 positioned on, attached to,formed with, and/or extending from the side wall 68 of the container 22,as the liquid director 36 is moved between the deployed position and theundeployed position, as discussed above. In at least one embodiment, theguide 66 can be generally “L” shaped and can have the bottom portion ofthe “L” shape facing downwardly toward a bottom portion of the container22, for example. In other various embodiments, the guide 66 can compriseany other suitable position, orientation, shape, and/or configuration.

In various embodiments, referring to FIGS. 11-14, the liquid director 36can be moved between a deployed position, a partially deployed positionor an intermediate position, and an undeployed position. In at least oneembodiment, referring to FIG. 11, the liquid director 36 can at leastpartially extend from the opening 30 when in the deployed, fluidreceiving position. In various embodiments, referring to FIG. 12, across-sectional view of the liquid director 36 in the deployed positionis illustrated. In at least one embodiment, FIG. 12 displays theengagement of the at least one stop member 46 with the guide 66. In suchan embodiment, the stop member's engagement with the guide 66 caninhibit the liquid director 36 from being extended past the deployed,fluid receiving position. In such a position, the liquid director 36 canbe configured to receive the liquid and channel the liquid toward thebottom side 56 of the liquid director 36, through the opening 30, andinto the container 22. In various embodiments, the liquid director 36can be in the deployed, fluid receiving position when the lid 28 is inthe first position and/or the open position. In such a position, the lid28 can at least partially uncover the opening 30. In variousembodiments, FIG. 13 illustrates the liquid director 36 in the partiallydeployed or intermediate position where the liquid director 36 can be atleast partially positioned within the opening 30 and can be at leastpartially situated within the container 22. In various embodiments, FIG.14 illustrates the liquid director 36 in the undeployed position. In theundeployed position, the liquid director 36 can be at least partiallypositioned through the opening 30 and can be situated within the opening30 and at least partially within the container 22. In such anembodiment, the liquid director 36 can be in the undeployed positionwhen the lid 28 is closed and/or in the second position such that thelid 28 can at least partially, or fully, cover the opening 30. Invarious embodiments, the liquid director 36 can be fully positionedwithin the opening 30 and the container 22 when in the undeployedposition.

In various embodiments, the liquid director 36 can be sold as anattachment for an existing beverage maker. In such an embodiment, theliquid director 36 can comprise attachment features which can allow theliquid director 36 to be attached to a lid, a side wall of a container,and/or another portion of the beverage maker, for example. Those ofordinary skill in the art will recognize that these attachment featurescan comprise, but are not limited to glue, hooks, pins, clips, and/orhangers, for example. In other various embodiments, the liquid director36 can be configured to be attached to a guide on the lid or a side wallof a container.

In various embodiments, referring to FIG. 15, a beverage maker 110 cancomprise a liquid director 136 formed separate from, and optionally notattached to, a lid 128. In such an embodiment, portions, such as sideportions, for example, of the liquid director 136 can be attached,pivotably attached, and/or rotatably attached to portion of a side wallof an opening 130 in the beverage maker 110. As such the liquid director136 can be pivoted, moved, and/or rotated with respect to the opening130 between an undeployed, non-fluid receiving position and a deployed,fluid receiving position independent of movement of the lid 128. Thedeployed, fluid receiving position of the liquid director 136 isillustrated in FIG. 15. In various embodiments, the liquid director 136can comprise similar features as the liquid director 36 described above,such as a side wall 144, a surface 138, at least one projection 140,and/or various liquid channels 142, for example. In such an embodiment,the liquid director 136 can be configured to channel a liquid into andthrough the opening 130 much like the liquid director 36 describedabove.

In other various embodiments, referring to FIG. 16, a beverage maker 210can comprise a liquid director 236 formed integral with and/or attachedto a portion of a lid 228 of the beverage maker 210, for example. In oneembodiment, the liquid director 236 can be formed integral with and/orattached to a bottom surface 229 of the lid 228, for example. In variousembodiments, the liquid director 236 can be glued to, melted to, screwedto, and/or otherwise attached to the bottom surface 229, for example. Invarious embodiments, the lid 228 and the liquid director 236 can bemolded and/or formed as one piece by injection molding, for example. Inat least one embodiment, the liquid director 236 can be in a deployed,fluid receiving position when the lid 228 is in an open and/or a firstposition and can be in an undeployed, non-fluid receiving position whenthe lid 228 is in a closed and/or a second position, for example. In atleast one embodiment, the liquid director 236 can comprise similarfeatures as that described above with respect to the liquid director 36,such as a surface 238, at least one projection 240, liquid channels 242,and/or a wall 244, for example. Similar to the above, in such anembodiment, the liquid director 236 can be configured to channel aliquid toward a lowermost portion thereof, through an opening 230 in thebeverage maker 210, and into a container of the beverage maker 210.

A method of brewing a beverage using a beverage maker is provided. Thebeverage maker can comprise an outer shell comprising a reservoirconfigured to receive a liquid, an opening formed in the outer shell,wherein the opening is in fluid communication with the reservoir, and aliquid director positioned at least one of proximate to and partiallyoverlapping with the opening. The method can comprise moving the liquiddirector from an undeployed, non-fluid receiving position to a deployed,fluid receiving position, pouring a liquid onto at least a portion ofthe deployed liquid director, and channeling the liquid into the openingusing the liquid director. The beverage maker can also comprise a lidconfigured to at least partially cover the opening. The method canfurther comprise moving the lid into an open position such that theopening is at least partially exposed, wherein moving the lid moves theliquid director from the undeployed, non-fluid receiving position to thedeployed, fluid receiving position.

FIG. 17 illustrates a block diagram of a beverage maker 300 inaccordance with one non-limiting embodiment. The beverage maker 300 mayrepresent any suitable type of beverage maker having any suitablecombination of external features, including, for example, thosedescribed above with respect to beverage makers 10, 110, and 210. Asshown in FIG. 17, the beverage maker 300 comprises a brew system 302 anda control system 303. The brew system 302 may comprise a container orreservoir 304 for receiving water or another liquid to be brewed.Reservoir 304 may be in fluid communication with a heater 306. Thereservoir 304 may be filled according to any suitable method including,for example, those described herein. When the reservoir 304 is filled,gravity may cause water from the reservoir 304 to flow through theheater 306. A shower 308 may be in fluid communication with the heater306, but may be located above the heater 306 such that gravity preventsthe water from reaching the shower 308.

When a brewing process is initiated, the heater 306 may heat up, causingwater present at the heater 306 to boil. The force of the resultingsteam may force water up to the shower 308. The shower 308 may directhot water and steam towards a filter 310, which may include coffeegrounds, tea, or any other substance for brewing with the water. Here,the water is transformed into the desired beverage. The beverage leavesthe filter 310 and is directed to the carafe 312, where it is pooleduntil it is ready for drinking. A heating plate 313 may be provided tomaintain the carafe 312, and accordingly the beverage, at a desiredtemperature.

The control system 303 may control various parts of the brewing process,and may provide additional features. For example, the control system 303may detect the end of the brewing process. A control circuit 316 of thecontrol system 303 may detect the end of the brewing process, forexample, in conjunction with one or more sensors 314, 315. The controlcircuit 316 may be any suitable analog or digital circuit and mayinclude, for example, a microcontroller, a microprocessor, any othersuitable processing device for executing instructions stored on acomputer-readable medium, or a field programmable gate array (FPGA). Thecontrol circuit 316 may be solid state and/or be made from solid statecomponents. Sensors 314, 315 may be any suitable sensor type (e.g.,based on the method used to detect the end of the brewing process).

Various methods may be used to determine the end of the brew process.For example, the control circuit 316 may determine the end of the brewprocess by monitoring a temperature of the heater 306, for example, viaa heat sensor 314. During the brew process, when water is present in theheater 306, its temperature may approximate the temperature at which thewater boils (e.g., 100° C. or 212° F. at sea level). When all of thewater from the reservoir 304 is exhausted, then the heater 306 may alsorun dry, causing its temperature to exceed the boiling point. This mayindicate the end of the brew process. The control circuit 316 of thesystem 303 may monitor a temperature of the heater 306 via a heat sensor314 in communication with the heater 306. When the temperature of theheater 306 increases above the boiling point of water, the controlcircuit 316 may determine that a brew cycle has ended. Similar resultsmay be obtained by measuring the temperature at other points of the brewsystem 302 including, for example, fluid lines leading to and/or fromthe heater. The temperature sensor 314 may be any suitable sensorcapable of measuring temperature including, for example, a solid statesensor and/or a thermistor.

According to various embodiments, the control circuit 316 may determinethe end of a brew cycle in other ways. For example, a sensor 315 may bepositioned to sense the level of liquid in the reservoir 304. When thelevel of the liquid 304 in the reservoir drops below a predeterminedlevel, it may indicate that all or a significant portion of the liquidfrom the reservoir has been brewed and, thus, the brew cycle iscomplete. In another embodiment, the control circuit 316 may beconfigured to measure a liquid level in the reservoir 304 at the startof a brew cycle. Based on this information, the control circuit 316 mayestimate the end of the brew cycle, for example, using a timer. Becausethe duration of a brew cycle depends on the amount of liquid to bebrewed, knowing the amount of liquid in the reservoir 304 at thebeginning of the brew cycle may allow the control circuit 316 toestimate the duration of the brew cycle and determine the end of thebrew cycle using a timer.

When the end of the brew cycle is detected, the control system 303 maytake various actions including, for example, de-activating the heater306. According to various embodiments, the control system 303 may alsoimplement a time since brew timer. For example, when the control circuit316 detects the end of the brew cycle, it may initiate a time since brew(TSB) timer. The end of the brew process may be detected via anysuitable method including, for example, by monitoring the temperature ofthe heater 306 as described above. The TSB timer may be a software-basedtimer implemented by the control circuit 316 or a component thereof, ormay utilize a discrete hardware component. The TSB timer may begin atzero and may count the time that passes after it is activated (e.g., atthe end of a brew cycle). The current value of the TSB timer may beexpressed in any suitable format including, for example, minutes, orhours plus minutes.

The state of the TSB timer may be provided to the user via the display318. This may give the user an indication of how much time has passedsince the end of the brew cycle and, accordingly, the age of thebeverage in the carafe 312. The state of the TSB timer may be indicatedin any suitable way. For example, a light may be illuminated to indicatewhen a predetermined time has passed since brewing. Also, in addition toor instead of the illumination of a light, an audible sound such as abeep may be generated when the predetermined time has elapsed. In someembodiment, the display 318 may be configured to display the currentvalue of the TSB timer. For example, a control panel 320 may comprise abutton or other input device that when actuated by the user, causes thecontrol circuit 316 to display the current value of the timer at thedisplay 318. According to various embodiments, the control circuit 316may be further configured to deactivate the heating plate 313 when apredetermined interval (e.g., 2 hours) has passed since the end of thebrew cycle. The predetermined interval may be measured by the TSB timer.

FIG. 18 illustrates a panel 400 that, in various embodiments, may serveas both a display 318 and a control panel 320. The panel 400 maycomprise a display 402, which may be an LCD, LED or other suitabledisplay. The display 402 may be used to display the current value of theTSB timer, or may display the current time. An on/off button 404 mayturn the beverage maker 300 on or off and may initiate the brewingprocess. The user may select a programmed or delayed brew by selectingprogram button 410 and entering a desired start time and/or delay timeutilizing an hour button 406 and a minute button 408. An auto button 412may be activated to initiate a programmed brew. The TSB 416 may bedepressed by the user to cause the control circuit 316 to display thecurrent state of the TSB timer on the display 402.

An alternate brew button 414 may allow a user to place the beveragemaker 300 into an alternate brew mode. The alternate brew button 414 canbe depressed by a user either before pressing the on/off button 404 orwithin a predetermined time. When in alternate brew mode, the controlcircuit 316 of the control system 303 may alternately turn the heater306 on and off at a predetermined interval (e.g., every twenty-fiveseconds). This may allow the liquid to linger longer at the filter 310and remain in contact with the grounds longer which may, in turn, leadto a stronger brew.

FIG. 19 illustrates a process flow illustrating a method of operating atime since brew timer in accordance with one non-limiting embodiment. At502, the control circuit 316 may determine whether there has been achange in the reading from the sensor 314 indicating the end of a brewcycle. If such a signal is received, the control circuit 316 mayinitiate the TSB timer at 504. At 506, the control circuit 316 maydetermine whether the current value of the TSB timer exceeds apredetermined interval (e.g., two hours). If the predetermined intervalis reached, it may indicate that the beverage is beyond a desirabledrinking age. Accordingly, if the predetermined interval is reached, thecontrol circuit 316 may disable the heating plate 313 at 508, allowingany beverage present in the carafe 312 to cool. According to variousembodiments, the control circuit 316 may turn off the entire beveragemaker 300.

In one embodiment, the control system 303 may be configured to provide acleaning/maintenance reminder to a user, and to enable user initiationof an automatic cleaning process implemented by the control system 303.In certain embodiments, the beverage maker 300 may comprise a cleanindicator (e.g., an LED or other suitable light-emitting device) locatedon the control panel 320 for providing the cleaning/maintenancereminder. The control system 303 may monitor usage of the beverage maker300 to control the status of the clean indicator. In certain embodimentsand as described below in connection with FIG. 19, for example, thecontrol circuit 316 may monitor usage by tracking the number of brewcycles performed by the beverage maker 300. According to suchembodiments, if the number of tracked brew cycles equals a predefinednumber, the control circuit 316 may activate the clean indicator inorder to provide the cleaning/maintenance reminder to the user. Inembodiments in which the clean indicator is a light-emitting device, forexample, the control circuit 316 may cause the clean indicator totransition from a non-illuminated state to an illuminated state. In thisway, a user is reminded to attend to the cleaning and maintenancerequirements of the beverage maker 300. Such requirements may include,for example, the need to remove mineral buildup, lime scale deposits,and/or other contaminants that have accumulated within the beveragemaker 300 over time, and the need to replace the filter 34 (FIG. 3).

In certain embodiments, the beverage maker 300 may comprise a cleanswitch accessible from the control panel 320 that may be actuated by auser to initiate the automatic cleaning process. The clean switch may bein the form of a push button switch, for example. In embodiments inwhich the clean indicator is implemented using a light-emitting device,the clean indicator may be integrally formed with the clean switch. Asdescribed below in connection with FIG. 20, the automatic cleaningprocess may include performing a number of alternating brew cycles topass a suitable cleaning agent (e.g., a descaling product or a vinegarsolution) through the beverage maker 300. Accordingly, prior toinitiating the automatic cleaning process, the filter 34 may be removedfrom the beverage maker 10 by first removing the filter dipstick 32 fromthe beverage maker 10, and, if necessary, removing the filter 34 fromthe filter cage 33 of the filter dipstick for disposal.

FIG. 20 is a process flow illustrating a method of providing acleaning/maintenance reminder to a user and enabling user initiation ofan automatic cleaning process in accordance with one non-limitingembodiment. At 602, the control circuit 616 may determine whether a brewcycle has ended. In certain embodiments, and as discussed above inconnection with FIG. 17, the control circuit 316 may monitor thetemperature of the heater 306 via the sensor 314 to make thisdetermination. If the control circuit 316 determines a brew cycle hasended, a brew cycle counter contained within the control circuit 316 isincremented by one count at 604. Otherwise, the process returns to 602.

The value of the brew cycle counter is monitored at 606. If the value ofthe brew cycle counter is less than a predefined brew cycle count C₁,the process returns to 602, and the value of the brew cycle counter willcontinue to increase as additional brew cycles are performed. If thevalue of the brew cycle counter is equal to the predefined brew cyclecount C₁, the control circuit 316 may activate the clean indicator toprovide a cleaning/maintenance reminder to the user. According tovarious embodiments, the predefined brew cycle count C₁ is equal to 60,although it will be appreciated that the C₁ may generally be anysuitable value. In certain embodiments, for example, depending onwhether beverage maker 300 is intended for use with hard water and/orbeverage products associated with relatively high levels of residue, thevalue of C₁ may be decreased or increased such that clean indicator isactivated more or less frequently, respectively, for a given amount ofbeverage maker use. In certain embodiments, the value of C₁ may be basedon the type of filter 34 used in the beverage maker 10. For example, ifthe filter 34 is designed to provide effective filtration for 60 brewcycles, the value of C₁ may be selected to be 60.

At 610, the status of the clean switch is monitored. If the clean switchis actuated for a time less than T₁, or not actuated at all, the processreturns to 608, and the clean indicator remains in the activated state.Generally, time T₁ may be selected to prevent inadvertent initiation ofthe automatic cleaning process (e.g., by accidentally bumping the cleanswitch). In one embodiment, for example, T₁ is 3 seconds. It will beappreciated, however, that T₁ may be greater or less than 3 seconds.

If the clean switch is actuated for a time in excess of T₁, the processproceeds to 612, and the automatic cleaning process is performed. Duringat least a portion of the automatic cleaning process, the controlcircuit 316 may cause the clean indicator to flash (in embodiments inwhich the clean indicator is a light-emitting device), thus indicatingto a user that the automatic cleaning process is in progress.Additionally, in certain embodiments, the control circuit 316 mayoperate to disable other features of the control panel 320 (with theexception of a power switch for turning the beverage maker 300 off) frombeing used during the automatic cleaning process. The status of thecleaning process is monitored at 614. Upon completion of the cleaningprocess, the process returns to 602.

In certain circumstances, it may be necessary or otherwise desirable toinitiate the automatic cleaning process before the brew cycle counter isequal to the predefined brew cycle count C₁. Accordingly, in certainembodiments and as shown at 616 of FIG. 20, the clean switch may beactuated to initiate an automatic cleaning process when the cleanindicator is not activated. If the clean switch is actuated for a timein excess of T₂, as determined at 618, the process proceeds to 612, andthe automatic cleaning process is performed. In one embodiment, thevalue of T₂ may be equal to that of T₁. In another embodiment, the valueof T₂ may be different than that of T₁.

FIG. 21 is a process flow illustrating a method of performing thecleaning process of 612 (FIG. 19) in accordance with one non-limitingembodiment. In certain embodiments and as discussed above, prior toinitiation of the cleaning process, the filter 34 has been removed fromthe filter dipstick 32, and a suitable amount of cleaning agent has beenpoured into the reservoir 304.

At 702, the control circuit 316 may initiate a brewing cycle such thatcleaning agent present at the heater 306 is boiled to force cleaningagent up to the shower 308 and into the carafe 310. The brewing processmay be performed for a time T₃, after which the brewing process isturned off by the control circuit 316 for a time T₄ at 704. Next, at706, a cleaning cycle counter contained within the control circuit 316is incremented by one count. The value of the cleaning cycle counter ismonitored at 708. If the value of the cleaning cycle counter is lessthan a predefined cleaning cycle count C₂, the process returns to 702,and the value of the cleaning cycle counter will continue to increase asadditional brewing cycles are performed at 702 and 704. When the valueof the cleaning cycle counter is equal to the predefined cleaning cyclecount C₂, the process proceeds to 710, where the brewing process remainsoff for a time T₃. During this time, cleaning agent introduced into thebrew system 302 may interact with and loosen mineral deposits andaccumulated contaminants. Values of T₃, T₄, C₂, and T₅ may be selectedsuch that cleaning agent is introduced into the brew system 302 in asufficient amount and for a sufficient time to adequately clean the brewsystem components, and such that the cleaning process is notunnecessarily long. In certain embodiments, for example, T₃ is 7seconds, T₄ is 21 seconds, C₂ equals 60, and T₅ is 30 minutes. Incertain embodiments, the automatic cleaning process may be completed inan hour or less.

From 710, the process proceeds to 712 at which the remainder of thecleaning agent is continuously brewed until the reservoir 304 isemptied. The cleaning cycle counter and the brew cycle counter valuesare reset to zero at 714 and 716, respectively, and the cleaning processis completed at 718 by deactivating the clean indicator.

Subsequent to completion of the cleaning process at 718, an unusedfilter 34 may be placed into the filter cage 33 of the filter dipstick32, and the filter dipstick 32 may then be reinstalled into the beveragemaker 10.

While particular embodiments of the present disclosure have beenillustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in theart that various other changes and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. It is thereforeintended to cover in the appended claims all such changes andmodifications that are within the scope of this disclosure.

1. A beverage maker, comprising: a brew system comprising: a heater; areservoir; and a container for receiving a brewed beverage; at least onesensor positioned to sense an end of a brew cycle; a display; and acontrol circuit in communication with the at least one sensor, whereinthe control circuit is configured to: receive a signal from the at leastone sensor indicative of the end of the brew cycle; initiate a timer atthe end of the brew cycle; cause a current value of the timer to beshown on the display, and activate a clean indicator based at least inpart on a determination that a brew cycle counter reaches apredetermined threshold, wherein the brew cycle counter increments byone count when the brew cycle is implemented.
 2. The beverage maker ofclaim 1, wherein the container comprises a removable carafe.
 3. Thebeverage maker of claim. 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises asolid state sensor.
 4. The beverage maker of claim 3, wherein the atleast one sensor comprises a thermistor.
 5. The beverage maker of claim1, wherein the control circuit is substantially analog.
 6. The beveragemaker of claim 1, wherein the control circuit comprises a processor. 7.The beverage maker of claim 1, wherein the timer is implemented by amicroprocessor.
 8. The beverage maker of claim 1, wherein the timercomprises a discrete hardware component.
 9. The beverage maker of claim1, wherein the at least one sensor is positioned to sense thetemperature at the heater.
 10. The beverage maker of claim 1, whereinthe control circuit is further configured to cause a current value ofthe timer to be shown on the display in response to an input receivedfrom a user.
 11. The beverage maker of claim 1, wherein the brew system.comprises a heating plate for maintaining a beverage at a desiredtemperature after brewing, and wherein the control circuit is furtherconfigured to turn off the heating plate when the timer reaches apredetermined threshold.